The Art of the Personal Life, an Engineers Guide
As engineers, it is common to find ourselves lost in the nerdy woods of math, physics, and subjects that would make all the simpletons sick to their stomachs. While it might be cool to be able to calculate how much energy you put off, as you sit and play halo while consuming pizza like your life depends on it, let's be honest....nobody gives a shit about that. This guide will help to pull you out of your miserable abyss. Whether you want to finally have your first kiss or simply be able to talk to people without shaking like a crack addict, this guide is for you. No, You're Not Allowed to Wear the Same Thing Every Day Yep, I said it. I know this may come as a shocker to many of you, but people do pay attention to how you dress. Thinking that you can get away with wearing that same Rick and Morty T-shirt every day is intelligently equivalent to failing Econ 102. I know money is hard to come by, but it's time to cancel that porn hub subscription and gain some style. Ladies don't really need to focus on this section of the guide, as they usually have their shit together. Once you start dressing better and looking like you care about your image, you'll notice that people will respect you and notice you more. That chick you've been crushing on at the Coug might finally send a smile your way or maybe that employer that you want to work with is really diggin how fresh you are. Anyone remember the Macklemore song "Thrift Shop"? Well, there's a lot of wisdom in that song. There is nothing wrong with shopping at GoodWill for some freshies, and once all your homies see your new swag they are bound to go shop there too. Fit is key. Let's avoid all the baggy clothing that makes us look like we can fly to China if we flap hard enough. You don't want your clothes too tight or too baggy. The perfect fit is tough to find, but that is what fitting rooms are for. Take your time and check yourself out, nobody is watching. The only thing worse than the miserably bland rooms in Sloan, is the cookie cutter colors that my fellow engineers fill the rooms with. I get that some color will make you stand out more, but that is the point. Time to go back to 6th grade and reinvestigate the color wheel. There are plenty of guides online on how to use the color wheel to tailor your style, so start using them and plan what you wear accordingly. Anybody catch themselves peepin' Dr. Chucks kicks? I know I do. Think like Chuck kids, you can't go wrong. Talk to Someone Other Than Yourself We have all seen that crazy kid that talks to himself on a daily basis, shoot, maybe we have been that kid at one point. You are scaring people......seriously.....cut it out. As someone that used to struggle to talk to people, you have to realize that you can change this. I used to be severely anti-social, but there is a solution. Let's get to it. This is the part that is going to take some time. There is no easy fix to coming out of your shell but it is possible. You have to realize that the only thing that makes you terrified to talk to people, is you. Objectively, there is no reason to be scared to talk to someone. Even if you embarrass yourself, the pain only lasts for a second, that is all. Take it from someone who embarrasses himself daily. What you want to start doing, is TALK TO EVERYBODY. I am serious guys, talk to everybody. Even if you have no reason to talk to them, say something. It is great practice. If you can walk up to that old lady in the market and tell her that you love her, with a straight face, you are on your way to greatness (yes, ive done it). I am aware that this may seem like overkill, but the goal is to kill any sense of fear or insecurity. This will take time and practice, but it pays off eventually. Go Out, Go Out Often Make some friends dummy! I get that we all have homework and responsibilities, but turning down your friends to sit at home and sulk in your miserable life is no way to spend a weekend. These are your college years! Don't you want to have stories you can tell to all your friends (forsaken stairwell acts, funny moments, whatever). What if your friends don't want to go out? GO ALONE, YOU DAMN NERD. After you've mastered talking to people, going out alone and making friends with random people isn't that bad, especially after a couple drinks. Approach a random table and start a conversation. It sounds dumb, but it actually works. The more you do this, the larger your network becomes. These people will become useful for many things, you never know who can help you out when you need it. As a wise man once told me, its not about what you know, its who you know (the politically correct version). For the single fellas here (or the cheaters, you bastards), rinse and repeat this process to get to know some lovely gals. The law of averages is a thing! I've struck out more times than I can count, but eventually, some poor soul will want to get to know you (then realize her mistake and run). If things go well, Mike's is a sure way to show someone your fun side. Getting in the cages always gives you +5 points (Dr. Jerath reference). Give Pullman Hell The truth is, I can't fix your nerdy ways in one sitting on a wiki that I am required to write. You gotta get out there yourself. Pull yourself out of the dirt and be the person you've always wanted to be. There are plenty of sources online, and you can find way better guides than this one (I don't care about you guys that much). So give Pullman hell! Engineers are cool people, but we get a really bad rep on the outside world. Let's change it nerd by nerd. Have a good life and thank me when you see me. Beer and Engineering: A Case Study By: Matthew DesJardien Beer and Engineering don’t mix all that well. I know this because I have a decent exposure level to both beer and engineering. I “lost focus” right around the time I was taking a statistics class. That means that I tried to combine beer and math. Now, keep in mind that both beer and engineering are good in moderation. Beer is a lot of fun. It makes the time fly. Engineering is also fun, and if you make it through you can make a lot of money. Both can lead to sleepless nights, both can make you pass out at a keyboard. But in excess, or when abused, both can turn you socially awkward. However, beer also makes calculus very, very hard. And it also likely makes class very, very hard to stay awake in; especially statistics classes with a teacher that doesn’t speak the best English. I fell asleep in Math 370, a lot. I went to class every day, took out my pencil and paper, and looked to the board, then “bam!” I’d fall asleep. I turned in what I finished of the homework, relying largely on partial credit and TA mercy. I stumbled through the tests. End result; I earned a less than optimal grade. I earned every GPA dropping point of it. There is a lesson here, use the weekend for beer. Use the week for Engineering. Having a 12 day weekend can be fun, but it never really ends very well. Keep in mind, social development is an important part of the college experience; if it wasn’t, we would all take distance learning classes from Devry in our parent's basement. Also, if you focus too hard on engineering, you will go stark raving mad. Take a gymnastics class, get too drunk every once in awhile, and go to class. Plus, interaction with the opposite sex is generally fun. Category:Life Tips Category:Academic Tips